EIITAB - Chapter 106 < Tea Time >
Even if it is Trampled and Broken
Stephan Cerreto has already left before their eyes.
However, looking at this candy that resembled his hair color, Hestia found it difficult to shake off the unpleasant feeling.
She gritted her teeth without even realizing it, and as soon as she broke her gaze, she folded her slender fingers and grasped the candy tightly.
Of course, that didn't cause the candy to break. Instead, it just dug painfully into her delicate palm.
Hestia said firmly as if she didn't need to worry anymore.
"Angela."
"Yes, Princess."
Hestia held out her grasp to her own maid.
"You can handle this on your own."
It didn't matter whether the maid ate it or threw it away.
However, Hestia had no intention of handling anything related to Stephan Cheretto with her own hands, so she just hoped that the candy would disappear before her eyes right away.
Angela, who immediately noticed that her owner was upset, quickly took the candy and put it in her pocket.
Only then did Hestia let out a long breath that she had been holding and let out a calmer voice.
"Angela, can you go and tell Madame Philippa that I want to meet her?"
Stephan Ceretto made her mind feel like mud, but she still didn't want to put off doing anything
Hestia wanted to discuss with Philippa today the matter of special meals for employees, which she had briefly considered in the garden earlier.
It wasn't that difficult, so her maid immediately nodded.
"Should I ask her to come right away?"
"No, around afternoon. After you tell you that, you should go and rest."
"But princess..."
As Angela examined her complexion with a worried expression, Hestia tried to smile at her.
"You don't have to worry because I can take off my clothes by myself."
Behind Hestia's friendly tone, it was clear that she wanted to be alone.
Angela looked at her master once more with worried eyes and nodded with a heavy heart.
"Yes, Princess. All right. Then, I will tell the head maid, and I will come back later."
"Okay, see you later."
That's how Angela got Hestia's permission and turned her body around first.
Hestia finally took a breather and stood quietly looking at the door.
Before she could stretch out her hand, Jerome, who had been standing there silently the whole time, opened the door himself.
"Thank you."
Hestia, who was about to go inside with a short thank you, paused for a moment and looked at Jerome again.
Hestia asked her guard with her eyes as if asking why.
"Would you like to come inside and wait?"
Jerome immediately shook his head.
"No. I'll wait outside."
Hestia did not recommend anything further. Jerome seemed to have already made up his mind, and at this point, he would not change anything she said.
"Great. Do whatever is convenient for you."
"Thank you for your consideration."
Jerome bowed silently and followed Hestia's back with his eyes.
Although the escort was meant to stick around, Hestia was allowed to be alone when there were no other visitors, like now.
Before he officially took over as her escort, he first heard from Aslan that Hestia was uncomfortable with people and was a shy person.
Jerome swallowed his sigh and thought as he cast his gaze at the window toward the hallway.
'The only thing to be wary of is men and southerners.'
For example, the scoundrel with a shiny face from before.
Moreover, Hestia looked very tired. He figured that being alone would probably help her relax better, so he figured he'd just have to stay in front of the door anyway.
While he continued his brief thoughts, Hestia completely entered the room.
"Then rest."
Jerome closed the door.
Hestia neatly took off her white raccoon fur coat that Aslan had given her and spread it out on the couch in front of her by the fireplace.
There was concern that the fur would get pressed if it was hung on the back of the chair. But that wasn't enough for her, so Hestia used a dry towel to gently wipe away the moisture from the melted snow on her coat.
The very next moment after she finished the task with a serious expression, her eyes caught the sight of a black robe draped haphazardly on the back of a chair near her.
It was Aslan's.
It seems that living in this space has become quite comfortable, so he often leaves traces in Hestia's room with his belongings.
This is where his personality of not caring at all about something as trivial as a wrinkle came out.
Hestia burst out laughing without realizing it.
"But still,"
She reached out her hand, folded Aslan's robe in half, and laid it out again.
After all that was done, she changed into her regular clothes.
Not long after that, a knocking sound was heard from outside her.
"Who is it?"
It's still a long way until Angela or Madam Philippa comes.
Hestia, who thought it was Jerome, tilted her head and raised her voice.
"Come on in."
The door opened soon after the calm response.
What appeared outside was Dulcinea and her dedicated maid.
"Miss Penrot?"
Hestia raised an eyebrow as a quite unexpected person appeared.
Then Dulcinea looked at her and smiled brightly.
"Hello? Good morning."
Hestia nodded her head briefly and looked at Dulcinea's personal maid. In her maid's hand was a tray with a teapot and teacups on it.
Hestia swallowed her sigh.
'I felt comfortable because I didn't walk for a while...!'
It seemed like she was about to resume tea time, which she had briefly interrupted.
At that time, Dulcinea's voice was heard.
"Are you okay with the time? May I come in?"
Hestia forcibly raised the corners of her mouth.
"Sure. Of course."
As Hestia gestured to the seat on the other side of the table from her, Dulcinea quickly came over and sat down.
Jerome glanced at the atmosphere outside.
When Hestia slightly shook her head, he nodded as if he would respect the order and did not come inside.
Dulcinea, who was watching her, let out a small "Hmph!" And she snorted.
Apparently, Jerome blocked her once, but Dulcinea seemed to have forced her way in again.
Since she didn't have the heart to pick up the book, Hestia skipped it lightly.
Meanwhile, the maid who followed Dulcinea into her room placed a tray on the empty table, and she gave order as if Dulcinea had been waiting.
"Great job. Now go out."
"Yes, Miss."
After the maid politely bowed her head, she quickly left Hestia's room.
Hestia looked at the teapot and Dulcinea alternately with a calm gaze.
Of course, the one that her gaze lingered on longer was Dulcinea's face.
The Lady, who was the same age as her, was smiling at her in a friendly manner that she had never seen before. And in a very polite manner.
"You like tea, right? I found some good tea leaves and thought it would be good to drink them together."
"Yes, Miss Penrott."
Although the other person was uncomfortable, Hestia did not hesitate because her body was about to become chilly.
Despite the fact that it would be an uncomfortable position for her, she accepted the offer for one reason.
It bothered her to hear the story of Dulcinea's parents from Lady Philippa.
Of course, Dulcinea did not lose her parents at a very young age like her.
'But still.'
Hestia knew well that losing her own blood relatives was a deep sorrow that could not be compared to anything else, so she could not be harsh.
'And Aslan...!'
There wasn't really anything to talk about.
Be friendly with Dulcine, she didn't know the answer to how she should behave, but she had decided that it would be better to treat her with a minimum of kindness and formality.
'Doing so would also be respectful of the Penlot family.'
Hestia, who seemed to have taken her various circumstances into consideration, nodded her head in a motion that seemed to be silent and then stretched out her hand toward the container containing tea leaves.
"What tea is it? I will make it for you."
"No!"
Then Dulcinea cried out as if she had been startled and screamed as if she had been scalded by a fire.
Hestia, surprised by this, opened her eyes wide and closed her outstretched fingertips.
".... Miss Penlot? What's wrong? Is there something wrong with your tea?"
Even at a glance, Dulcinea strangely rolled her eyes and avoided her gaze.
Dulcinea bit her lower lip, probably thinking that she had just overreacted.
"The problem is... Nothing like that, just..."
She gulped down her dry saliva and added in a voice barely audible.
"Now the tea...I was wondering if I could brew it."
Hestia asked back, raising one of her eyebrows.
"Miss Penlot? Directly?"
"Yes. Do you have any problem...?"
"No. It's not really like that."
Hestia was embarrassed on the inside, but she raised the corners of her mouth on the outside.
To be honest, the tea that Dulcinea brewed was tasteless.
But she didn't have the energy to take it back from Dulcinea, who was holding onto her tea caddy tightly as if she wouldn't give it up. As a result, the only option given to Hestia was to reluctantly nod her head.
Dulcinea couldn't help but wonder how much her throat was burning, so she licked her dry lips with her tongue several times.
Her hands seemed to be shaking as well, so whenever she did something, the sound of a clinking tea utensil was loud enough to be annoying.
Comments
Post a Comment